Incinerator

ABSTRACT

An incinerator having a support assembly structure which also conducts combustion air to a main combustion chamber and an afterburner. Refuse is fed into the main combustion chamber by a compactor which includes a refuse receiving chute having a wall which pivots for refuse compaction. The afterburner air feed system includes a first tangential set of air passages for gas mixing, a venturi section to create a positive draft, and a combustion air feed system. A temperature control regulates the air feed and afterburner temperature by adjusting air feed and fuel.

United States Patent Schrage et al.

1 1' Feb. 12, 1974 INCINERATOR Inventors: Donald J. Schrage, Germantown;

Edward G. Giery, Jr., Glendale,

both of Wis.

Assignee: Aqua-Chem, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis.

Filed: May 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 249,945

[52] US. Cl. 110/8 R, 110/8 A [51] Int. Cl. F23g 5/00 [58] Field ofSearch. 110/8 R, 14, 18, 8 A; 100/233 [5 6] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,513,768 5/1970 Altmann et al 100/233 x 3,521,553 7/1970Smolka et al. 100/233 X 3,561,379 2/1971 Polsak 110/14 3,685,437 8/1972Panning llO/S X Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague Attorney, Agent, orFirmFred Wiviott; Ralph G.

Hahenfeldt [57] ABSTRACT An incinerator having a support assemblystructure which also conducts combustion air to a main combustionchamber and an afterburner. Refuse is fed into the main combustionchamber by a Compactor which includes a refuse receiving chute having awall which pivots for refuse compaction. The afterburner air feed systemincludes a first tangential set of air passages for gas mixing, aventuri section to create a positive draft, and a combustion air feedsystem. A temperature control regulates the air feed and afterburnertemperature by adjusting air feed and fuel.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEBFEB 1 2 I974 SHEET 1 (IF 3 PATENTEI]FEB I 2 I974 sum 3 or 3 87 5' I 6 T Ts Q If)! q\\\\ FIGS HGT

INCINERATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION .This invention relates toapparatus for the combustion of waste materials and more particularly toapparatus for compacting the refuse prior to incineration.

It is common to provide refuse incinerators with means for compactingand feeding material to be incinerated into a combustion chamber. Suchprior art refuse compactors tended to be relatively complicated andexpensive or to be limited to hand loading.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide anew and improved compactor and feeder for refuse incinerating apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an incinerator refusecompactor and feeder which is compact and economical.

A further object of the invention is to provide an incinerator refusecompactor which may be fed automatically or by hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view, withparts broken away, of an incinerator according to the preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of theincinerator illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view, with parts broken away, of the incineratorillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the afterburner portion ofthe apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a view taken along lines5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken along lines 88 of FIG. .4.

5 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In general-terms, theincinerator-l0 according to the preferred embodiment of the inventionincludes a main combustion chamber 11, an afterbumer 12, and a materialfeed system 13. As will be described more fully hereinbelow, thematerial feed system 13 is disposed in a metallic housing 14 mounted onthe main combustion chamber 10 and initially receives the refuse to beburned for compaction prior to feeding into the main combustion chamber11. The refuse is burned in the main combustion chamber 10 with lessthan the stoichiometric amount of oxygen. This forms gaseous combustionproducts which pass into the afterburner 12 where they are mixed withair for complete combustion prior to discharge into the atmosphere. Themain combustion chamber 11 and afterburner 12 are supplied withcombustion air by an air feed system 15.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the main combustion chamber10 may take any convenient shape. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the main combustion chamber 10 is shown to be generallycylindrical about a horizontal axis and to include a suitable outermetallic casing 16 and an inner refractory lining 17. A plurality ofelongate air feed pipes 18 extend longitudinally along the bottom of thechamber 11 and below the refractory lining 17. Extending upwardly fromeach of the pipes 18 are a plurality of short nozzles 20 which couplethe air pipes 18 to the interior of the chamber 11. The end of the pipes18 are coupled to a manifold 22 which in turn is coupled to the airsystem 15 in a manner which will be described more fully below. Becauseof the large number of nozzles 20, air passes upwardly into thecombustion chamber at a relatively low velocity. This reduces turbulencewhich might otherwise entrain particulate matter in the flue gas stream.An access door 24 is suitably mounted at the end of main combustionchamberll to permit the removal of ashes and noncombustibles.

The air system 15 includes a motor driven fan 25 which draws combustionair into the housing 14 through a louvered panel 27 and forces the samedownwardly into a plenum chamber 28. The plenum chamber.28 is coupled byconduits 29 and 30 to the hollow skids 32 and 33 of the incineratorsupport assembly. A hollow support leg 38 connects the skid 33 to themains fold 22 whereby combustion air is provided to the nozzles 20 ofthe main combustion chamber 11. A third conduit 40 extends upwardly fromthe hollow skid 32 and around the main combustion chamber 11 to open atits upper end into a hollow support housing 42 beneath the afterbumer 12and which opens into the afterburner air system as will be describedmore fully below. It can thus be seen that the support assemblyconsisting of the skids 32 and 33 and the support legs 35, 36, 37 and 38function as an integral part of the air system for the main combustionchamber 11 and the afterburner 12.

The material feed system 13 includes a generally rectangular enclosure44 the opposite ends of which are formed by a ram plate 4S and thecharging door 46 of the main combustion chamber 11. The enclosure alsoincludes a fixed bottom wall 48, a top wall 49 and a side wall 51. Oneside of the enclosure is normally open and may be closed by a sideclosure wall and compactor'52 which is pivotally mounted on top wall 49and adjacent the edge of the open side. Side closure 52 is substantiallythe same size as wall 51 and closes the open side of the enclosure whenit pivots from its full position as shown in FIG. 3 to its closedposition therein shown by dashed lines. Ram plate is slidably mountedfor horizontal movement within enclosure 44 and its outer periphery isin substantial registry with the inner circumferential surface ofenclosure 44.

An access opening 54 is provided in the housing 14 for receiving trashto be burned. When the side closure 52 is in its open unpivoted positionshown by full lines in FIG. 3, its remote edge 55 isslightly above theupper edge of the opening 54. A pair of sector shaped panels 57 and 58extend radially inwardly from the housing 14 and adjacent the oppositesides of the access openings 54 to the sides of the enclosure 44 and toa position above the member 52. This forms a trash receiving chute 59extending from the opening 54 to the enclosure 44 and bounded by theclosure member 52, the panels 57 and 58 and the housing 14.

The closure member 52 is mounted for pivotal movement on a horizontalshaft 60 which has one end journaled at bearing 61 and whose other endis coupled to a rotary hydraulic motor 62. The bearing 61 and motor 62may be supported in housing 14 in any suitable manner well known in theart and will not be discussed in detail for the sake of brevity. Thepivotal axis of shaft 60 is coincident with the axis of curvature ofhousing 14 and the width of member 52 is substantially equal to theradius of said housing. In this manner, actuation of the hydraulic motor62 will pivot the member 52 to move end 55 along the inner surface ofhousing 14 to carry any trash between panels 57 and 58 into theenclosure 44. It will also be appreciated that this action will compactthe trash in the enclosure 44 and the chute 59 into the volume of theenclosure 44 itself.

A cylinder 67 is suitably mounted by brackets 68 and 69 above thefurnace charging door 46 and in a generally vertical direction. Aconnecting rod 70 couples a piston (not shown) disposed within cylinder67 to the upper end of the furnace door 46. When cylinder 67 is actuatedin a first sense, it moves furnace door 46 vertically upward from itsposition shown by full lines in FIG. 3 wherein opening 66 is covered toits position shown by dashed lines in FIG. 2 wherein opening 66 isuncovered. A pair of vertical guide rails 72 are mounted within housing14 and engage the opposite front edges of furnace door 46 to guide thelatter as it moves between its open and closed positions. Cylinder 67 isinterlocked with hydraulic motor 62 and closure member 52 so that door46 cannot be moved upwardly out of its closed position until closuremember 52 is fully closed.

While in the preferred embodiment of the invention one of the verticalsides of enclosure 44 is open, a different side could be open withoutdeviating from the inventive concept. For example, the top side could beopen with the remaining three sides closed and closure member 52pivotally mounted for downward movement to close said open top side.

As seen in FIG. 2, a second hydraulic cylinder 76 is suitably mounted ona bracket 77 below shaft 60 and in general parallelsim therewith. Apiston (not shown) within cylinder 76 is coupled to the ram plate 45 formoving said plate horizontally within enclosure 44 upon the actuation ofcylinder 76. Cylinders 67 and 76 are interlocked so that cylinder 76cannot begin moving ram plate 45 toward the furnace door until thelatter has been raised to uncover the main combustion chamber chargingopening 66.

A refractory lined elbow 80 is shown in FIG. 2 to couple the upper endof the main combustion chamber 11 at a point above the feed opening 66to the afterburner 12. An ignition burner 82 of any suitable type wellknown in the art may be disposed in the vertical portion of elbow 80 andgenerally coaxially with afterburner 12. Referring now to FIG. 4,afterburner 12 is shown to include a generally annular plenum chamber 84formed by a pair of spaced apart coaxial metallic shell members 85 and86 which are retained in a spaced relation to being suitably secured attheir opposite ends to a pair of annular rings 87 and 88.

The afterburner 12 also includes a shaped refractory lining 90 having afirst relatively short, generally annular inlet portion 92, a frustoconical section 93 which terminates in a relatively short reduceddiameter annular section 94 and a relatively long cylindrical section95. The sections 93 and 94 form a venturi to create a positive draftbetween the main combustion chamber 11 and theafterburner 12. Aplurality of air passages are formed through the various sections ofrefractory lining 90 to insure complete combustion of the gaseousproducts discharging from the main combustion chamber 11. Morespecifically, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, a first set of air passages 97are formed through the inlet portion 92 of the refractory lining andextend from the plenum chamber 84 in the direction generally tangentialto the inside surface thereof of said section. The air passing throughpassages 97 therefore moves generally tangential to the inlet portioncausing a through mixing of the combustible gases emanating from themain combustion chamber 1 l and the afterburner combustion air passinginwardly from the plenum chamber 84.

As seen more particularly in FIGS. 4 and 6, a second plurality of airpassages 99 extend from the plenum chamber 84 inwardly to terminate inthe reduced diameter portion 94. The passages 99 extend generallyinwardly toward the axis of the afterburner 12 and are inclinedgenerally in the direction of the gas flow. This tends to cause afurther mixing of the combustible gases and air as they pass through theventuri throat section 94 and into the afterburner combustion chamber95.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, a third and a fourth plurality of airpassages 100 and 101, respectively, extend through the refractory liningin the main combustion section 90 and are generally radially inwardlyfor providing oxygen to completely burn the gases exiting from the maincombustion chamber 11. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, theexit end 102 of the afterburner 12 will be connected to an exhauststack. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the number,position and inclination of the air passages 97, 99, 100 and 101 areexemplary, and may vary with conditions without deviating from theinvention.

As seen more particularly in FIG. 3, a throttle valve is disposedbetween plenum chamber 28 and the duct 30. Valve 110 is operated by apositioning motor 111 which in turn is coupled through acurrent-toposition transducer 111a to a control 112 responsive to atemperature measuring probe 113 disposed within the afterburner 12.Control 112 is also coupled to control through current to positiontransducer 114a to motor 1 14 which in turn controls the fuel supplymetering valve 115 for the afterburner ignition 82. The temperatureprobe 113, control 112, transducers 111a and 114a and motors'lll and 114will be constructed and arranged such that when the afterburnertemperature rises a predetermined amount above a preselectedtemperature, such as 1,500 F for example, the valve 110 will be adjustedso that the air supply to the main combustion chamber 11 and theafterburner 12 will be throttled back as will the fuel to the ignitionburner 82. On the other hand, when the afterburner temperature falls apredetermined amount below the preselected temperature, valve 110 willbe adjusted to increase the air flow while the fuel feed rate to burner82 will also be increased. This insures that the afterburner 12 caneffectively oxidize all of the combustible gases emanating from the maincombustion chamber 11.

In operation, the main combustion chamber 11 will be charged withcombustible material which will then be ignited. Ignition may beaccomplished either manu ally or by means of a burner, not shown. Thefan 25 and the afterburner ignition burner will be actuatedsimultaneously or prior to ignition in the main combustion chamber. Theair supply to the main combustion chamber 11 will be regulated so thatless than the stoichiometric amount of oxygen is provided. As a result,gaseous combustion products, such as C0, are passed into the afterburner12. The venturi section 93-94 in afterthe gaseous combustion productsand combustion air.

Complete combustion of the combustible gases occurs within the mainafterburner section 90 to eliminate the discharge of smoke or pollutinggases. Further, by controlling the temperature in afterburner 12 toabout l,500 F, the combustion rate in the primary combustion chamber canbe regulated to a value which will insure complete combustion inafterburner 12.

While refuse is being burned in the main combustion chamber 11, trashcan be loaded into chute 59. When chute 59 fills, the compactor 52 maybe actuated to compact the trash into enclosure 44. The compacted trashneed not be immediately charged into the main combustion chamber, butthe compactor 52 may be returned to its open position, the chute 59refilled and the compactor reactivated one or more times. Thussubstantially more trash may be charged into the main combustion chamber11 than merely the amount which the chute 59 and compartment 44 can holdin a single charging.

After the initial charge of refuse in the main combustion chamber 11 hasbeen substantially consumed, the compactor 52 will be moved to itsclosed position shown by dashed lines in FIG. 3 to close compartment 44.Piston 67 will then be operated to open furnace charging door 46 andpiston 76 operated to actuate the ram plate 45 and thereby charge thecompacted trash into the main combustion chamber 11. The ram plate 45may then be returned to its original position'and furnace charging door46 closed permitting the compactor 52 to be reopened whereby furthertrash may be fed into chute 59 and enclosure 44.

It will be appreciated that the material feed system 13 provides acompact and economical means for compressing waste materials and feedingthe same into the main combustion chamber 10. Further, by providingupwardly extending chute 59 and a compactor which traverses the chute,no particular precautions are required in charging. Thus the system 13can either be fed manually or from apparatus such as a conveyer, refusegrinder, lift truck, etc.

While only a single embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to be limited there by but only by thescope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An incinerator having a combustion chamber in which refuse is burnedand a normally closed charging door for receiving refuse therethrough, arefuse compactor mounted adjacentv to said charging door for compactingrefuse before it is introduced into said combustion chamber, said refusecompactor including an enclosure having three stationary sides formingan open sided receptacle, a fourth side pivotally mounted adjacent theopen side of receptacle for movement between an open position and aclosed position relative to the open side of said receptacle, means forpivoting said fourth side between its open and closed positions, aninlet bin having a trash receiving portion communicating with the openside of said enclosure and lying in the path of said fourth side as thesame moves between its open and closed positions, said fourth side beingoperable when moved from its open position to its closed position tosweep the contents of said inlet bin into said enclosure and to compactthe same, and feeding means associated with the one of the ends of saidenclosure for moving the compacted contents thereof through saidcharging door into said combustion chamber.

2. An incinerator having a combustion chamber in which refuse is burnedand a normally closed charging door for receiving refuse therethrough, arefuse compactor mounted adjacent to said charging door for compactingrefuse before it is introduced into said combustion chamber, said refusecompactor including three stationary sides forming an open sidedenclosure, a fourth side pivotally mounted adjacent the open side of thereceptacle for movement between an unpivoted open position and a closedposition relative to the open side of said receptacle, means forpivoting said fourth side between its open and closed positions, aninlet bin having a trash receiving portion communicating with the openside of said enclosure and lying in the path of said fourth side as thesame moves between its open and closed position, said fourth side beingoperable when moved from its open position to its closed position tosweep the contents of said inlet bin into'said enclosure and to compactthe same, and feeding means associated with one of the ends of saidenclosure for moving the compacted contents thereof through saidcharging door into said combustion chamber, said inlet bin having aninlet opening disposed generally at a higher vertical elevation than theopen side of said enclosure, said fourth pivotally mounted side beinggenerally above the open side of said enclosure, the free end of saidfourth side being above said inlet opening when said fourth side is inits'unpivoted position.

3. The incinerator set forth in claim 2 wherein said bin has side andbottom wall means, said fourth side defining the upper margin of saidbin, said bin side and bottom wall means being generally coincident withthe path defined by the edges of said fourth side as the same pivotsbetween its open and closed positions.

4. The incinerator set forth in claim 1 wherein one end of saidenclosure is disposed adjacent said charging door, and said feedingmeans being disposed adjacent the other end of said enclosure for movingthe trash therein toward said access door.

5'. The incinerator set forth in claim 4 wherein sai feeding meanscomprises plate means closing the other end of said enclosure, andmotive means for moving said plate means toward said charging door.

6. An incinerator having a combustion chamber in which refuse is burnedand a normally closed charging door for receiving refuse therethrough, arefuse compactor mounted adjacent to said charging door for compactingrefuse before it is introduced into said combustion chamber, said refusecompactor including three stationary sides forming an open sidedenclosure, a fourth side pivotally mounted adjacent the open side ofsaid receptacle for movement between an unpivoted open position and aclosed position relative to the open side of said enclosure, means forpivoting said fourth side between its open and closed positions, aninlet bin having a trash receiving portion communicating with the openside of said enclosure and lying in the path of said fourth side as thesame moves between its open and closed positions, said fourth side beingoperable when moved from its open position toits closed position tosweep the contents of said inlet bin into said enclosure and to compactthe same, and feeding means associated with one of the ends of saidenclosure for moving the compacted contents thereof through saidcharging door into said combustion chamber, one end of said enclosurebeing disposed adjacent said charging door, said feeding means beingdisposed adjacent the other end of said enclosure for moving the trashtherein toward said charging door, said feeding means comprising platemeans closing the other end of said enclosure, and motive means formoving said plate means toward said charging door, said inlet bin havingan inlet opening disposed generally at a higher vertical elevation thanthe open side of said enclosure, said fourth pivotally mounted sidebeing generally above the open side of said enclosure, the free end ofsaid fourth side being above said inlet opening when said fourth side isin its unpivoted position.

7. The incinerator set forth in claim 6 wherein said bin has side andbottom wall means, said fourth side defining the upper margin of saidbin, said bin side and bottom wall means being generally coincident withthe path defined by the edges of said fourth side as the same pivotsbetween its open and closed positions.

8. The incinerator set forth in claim 5 wherein said bin has side andbottom wall means, said fourth side defining the upper margin of saidbin, said bin side and bottom wall means being generally coincident withthe path defined by the edges of said fourth side as the same pivotsbetween its open and closed positions.

9. The incinerator set forth in claim 1 wherein said bin has side andbottom wall means, said fourth side defining the upper margin of saidbin, said bin side and bottom wall means being generally coincident withthe path defined by the edges of said fourth side as the same pivotsbetween its open and closed positions.

1. An incinerator having a combustion chamber in which refuse is burnedand a normally closed charging door for receiving refuse therethrough, arefuse compactor mounted adjacent to said charging door for compactingrefuse before it is introduced into said combustion chamber, said refusecompactor including an enclosure having three stationary sides formingan open sided receptacle, a fourth side pivotally mounted adjacent theopen side of receptacle for movement between an open position and aclosed position relative to the open side of said receptacle, means forpivoting said fourth side between its open and closed positions, aninlet bin having a trash receiving portion communicating with the openside of said enclosure and lying in the path of said fourth side as thesame moves between its open and closed positions, said fourth side beingoperable when moved from its open position to its closed position tosweep the contents of said inlet bin into said enclosure and to compactthe same, and feeding means associated with the one of the ends of saidenclosure for moving the compacted contents thereof through saidcharging door into said combustion chamber.
 2. An incinerator having acombustion chamber in which refuse is burned and a normally closedcharging door for receiving refuse therethrough, a refuse compactormounted adjacent to said charging door for compacting refuse before itis introduced into said combustion chamber, said refuse compactorincluding three stationary sides forming an open sided enclosure, afourth side pivotally mounted adjacent the open side of the receptaclefor movement between an unpivoted open position and a closed positionrelative to the open side of said receptacle, means for pivoting saidfourth side between its open and closed positions, an inlet bin having atrash receiving portion communicating with the open side of saidenclosure and lying in the path of said fourth side as the same movesbetween its open and closed position, said fourth side being operablewhen moved from its open position to its closed position to sweep thecontents of said inlet bin into said enclosure and to compact the same,and feeding means associated with one of the ends of said enclosure formoving the compacted contents thereof through said charging door intosaid combustion chamber, said inlet bin having an inlet opening disposedgenerally at a higher vertical elevation than the open side of saidenclosure, said fourth pivotally mounted side being generally above theopen side of said enclosure, the free end of said fourth side beingabove said inlet opening when said fourth side is in its unpivotedposition.
 3. The incinerator set forth in claim 2 wherein said bin hasside and bottom wall means, said fourth side defining the upper marginof said bin, said bin side and bottom wall means being generallycoincident with the path defined by the edges of said fourth side as thesame pivots between its open and closed positions.
 4. The incineratoRset forth in claim 1 wherein one end of said enclosure is disposedadjacent said charging door, and said feeding means being disposedadjacent the other end of said enclosure for moving the trash thereintoward said access door.
 5. The incinerator set forth in claim 4 whereinsaid feeding means comprises plate means closing the other end of saidenclosure, and motive means for moving said plate means toward saidcharging door.
 6. An incinerator having a combustion chamber in whichrefuse is burned and a normally closed charging door for receivingrefuse therethrough, a refuse compactor mounted adjacent to saidcharging door for compacting refuse before it is introduced into saidcombustion chamber, said refuse compactor including three stationarysides forming an open sided enclosure, a fourth side pivotally mountedadjacent the open side of said receptacle for movement between anunpivoted open position and a closed position relative to the open sideof said enclosure, means for pivoting said fourth side between its openand closed positions, an inlet bin having a trash receiving portioncommunicating with the open side of said enclosure and lying in the pathof said fourth side as the same moves between its open and closedpositions, said fourth side being operable when moved from its openposition to its closed position to sweep the contents of said inlet bininto said enclosure and to compact the same, and feeding meansassociated with one of the ends of said enclosure for moving thecompacted contents thereof through said charging door into saidcombustion chamber, one end of said enclosure being disposed adjacentsaid charging door, said feeding means being disposed adjacent the otherend of said enclosure for moving the trash therein toward said chargingdoor, said feeding means comprising plate means closing the other end ofsaid enclosure, and motive means for moving said plate means toward saidcharging door, said inlet bin having an inlet opening disposed generallyat a higher vertical elevation than the open side of said enclosure,said fourth pivotally mounted side being generally above the open sideof said enclosure, the free end of said fourth side being above saidinlet opening when said fourth side is in its unpivoted position.
 7. Theincinerator set forth in claim 6 wherein said bin has side and bottomwall means, said fourth side defining the upper margin of said bin, saidbin side and bottom wall means being generally coincident with the pathdefined by the edges of said fourth side as the same pivots between itsopen and closed positions.
 8. The incinerator set forth in claim 5wherein said bin has side and bottom wall means, said fourth sidedefining the upper margin of said bin, said bin side and bottom wallmeans being generally coincident with the path defined by the edges ofsaid fourth side as the same pivots between its open and closedpositions.
 9. The incinerator set forth in claim 1 wherein said bin hasside and bottom wall means, said fourth side defining the upper marginof said bin, said bin side and bottom wall means being generallycoincident with the path defined by the edges of said fourth side as thesame pivots between its open and closed positions.